Deep in the Meadow
by starsight22
Summary: She wonders, after she is picked - who will sing the notes that signal the end of the day, if she dies? A tribute to Rue, who was too young, too gentle, to deserve her fate.


**I was watching the Hunger Games again, and this just happened. It's sad, but it's a tribute to Rue.**

**Edit: I just realised that screwed with my story completely, so here is the fixed, proper version. Sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own rights to any of the characters.**

She wakes up crying, silent tears which wet her pillow. The remnants of her dream linger, causing her to shiver. Quietly, silently, she gets out of bed, and lightly pads over to the door, where she pauses to look at her family, her mother, exhausted after spending the previous night consoling her siblings. Her five siblings, who love her so much that they spent the night before her first Reaping crying and consoling in turns. Because this may be her first Reaping, but she already has six pieces of paper with her name on them and that number will only increase over the years. She looks at them, then gently opens the door and goes outside.

She runs to the fields, which technically is illegal, but there are no Peacekeepers here, and nobody who sees her will betray her. She runs until she can run no more, and then climbs up to the top of her favourite tree. From here, she can see her entire district, the buildings blending seamlessly into the gently waving golden ocean of grain, and distant green fields which in some seasons turn from simple green to a brilliant rainbow of colours. And she sings until her voice cracks, then hums, and then whistles and her friends join her, the mockingjays who transform her simple songs into a cascade of sound and melody as brilliant as the colourful meadows. Here, in the tree, high above everything, she feels safe, like nothing will hurt her.

* * *

When she comes down, she does her best to hold on to that feeling of peace, because this is her first Reaping, and no matter what she says to her siblings, she is terrified. But she summons any bravery she has and reluctantly walks home, where her mother will get her ready for the Reaping.

She takes her place among the other twelve year olds of her district, all terrified children, dark skin and tear-stained faces surrounding her. The Capitol representative, a strange, colourful man who doesn't really look very human, with his too-big lashes and purple hair, and dress which flickers into different colours with every movement. Like a bird, he thinks. The mayor makes a speech that she barely listens too, partly because she is watching one of the older children- Rose, she thinks- mouth along with the speech, word-for-word. The same speech, every year, just like every year, two families break down into tears, weeping because they may never see their child again. Then her fear rises again, choking, because the bird-man moves forward. "Well, Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!" No one responds, and his face falls for an instant before brightening again. "And now it's time to pick the Tributes of this District. As always, ladies first." He walks to the bowl with the paper-slips, and all she can think of is that six pieces has her name on it, and she prays so hard, _pleasenotmenotmyname. _

It doesn't work.

She manages not to completely break down as the other children part to allow her way. She makes her way to the stage. The wind whispers around them, and she can sense her District's unhappiness at her being chosen. But no one volunteers, and she expects no one to. Her fellow Tribute is big, muscled Thresh, who looks sadly at her. Then they are taken to different rooms, where her family comes to say goodbye, and they clutch each other and weep for a while, before they all start offering her advice, and good wishes. Then they are forced to leave, and they are taken to the trains, which will take them to the Capitol, and to the Hunger Games.

* * *

The Capitol is alien, different, and she misses the fields and meadows that she grew up in. The people are so different from the dark-skin, black-hair of her District, and she feels alone, and so scared. Her stylist, Antonio, dresses her in a pretty wheat coloured dress, and every movement she makes reminds her of a field of grain in the wind. She twirls a few times just to see the effect, and it eases her homesickness. Then they are making their way to the chariots, and that's when she first sees her. Katniss Everdeen. She remembers that she volunteered for her sister. She empathises; if one of her siblings had been chosen, she would probably have volunteered as well. She looks beautiful, wearing some black suit with red-orange trails. She and the boy from her district glare at their stylists, and as the chariots start to move, she sees why. Fire dances on them, making them look dangerous and beautiful. Then they are moving, and she can see the people of the Capitol wave at her. Chaff said to make them like her, so she waves at them, and the cheers increase in volume.

* * *

At the training centre, she does what her mentor told her to, and focuses on survival. Then she sees Katniss, and can't help following her around. She steals Cato's dagger, and knows Thresh sees; he laughs. Katniss sees too, but she just smiles. Then it's time for the individual assessments, and she shows all the Gamemakers that she can spent ten minutes and move around the room without touching the ground even once. Climbing comforts her, gives her strength. She manages to secure a seven, and everyone congratulates her. At that moment, she thinks she may actually have a chance at winning.

* * *

For the interviews, she wears a pretty dress with wings, and for a few minutes, even feels like a faerie, like in one of the stories her mother told her when she was younger. She tells them that she is quick and good with plants, and that they should not count her out. She is surprised to realise that she means every word. Then she watches Katniss and Peeta's interviews, and cannot help the gasp that escapes her when he confesses his love for Katniss. She has always loved stories of love, and she cannot help but wish that they had got a chance to live a happy life together.

* * *

Then they are in the arena. She grabs the closest bag she can and runs towards the safety of the forest. Once inside, she quickly climbs up a tree, and begins to move through the treetops in search of water. She quickly finds a pool, and settles into a tree by it, after filling her bottle. But she needs to eat as well, so she reluctantly begins to search for food.

She manages to gather several edible plants, and even finds some eggs, which she eats raw. She is searching for more when she comes across Katniss, in a tree, with the Careers watching her, circling her tree like a pack of wild dogs. Eventually, they settle in, and she takes the opportunity to warn Katniss about the tracker jacker nest above her. Then she settles down for a nap, because she got distracted by the drama unfolding, and now it is too dark to forage. A while later, she hears Katniss call, and when she shows herself, the older girl indicates that she is going to give the Careers below a nasty surprise. So she nods, grins, and then moves away.

* * *

The next day, she goes looking for Katniss, wondering if she made it out alive. She finds her two days later, and hides behind a tree to watch. The other girl is cooking a grooseling, and her mouth waters at the scent. Katniss apparently senses her, because she is suddenly startled by her voice.

"You know, they're not the only ones who can make alliances"

She freezes for a moment, and then comes out of hiding. Katniss is looking at her with amusement. Her token, a beautiful mockingjay pin, glows in the firelight.

"You want to make an alliance with me?"

* * *

She does, so they do. She can't help but trust this girl, the one with the mockingjay pin. And as they talk and laugh and spend time together, she tells the older girl about her family, and how much she loves music. She teaches her the little tune she made, the one that she uses to signal the end of the day. Katniss, in turn, tells her about her sister, Prim.

They eventually decide that the Careers deserve to suffer a little, so they make a plan to destroy their supplies. She agrees to be bait, and draw them off. As she lights the first fire, she can't help but clutch her token, the one her sister had made for her birthday. She quickly takes to the trees when she hears the Careers approaching.

It is after lighting the second fire that she gets into trouble. In a blur of motion, she is suddenly caught in a net, hanging from a tree, and she is _terrified_ and she wants to _get out_ and she wants Katniss. A voice is screaming for Katniss, and it takes her a while to realise that it is her. She can hear the Careers' triumphant shouts as they come back to where she hangs, defenceless, and she screams louder.

They get to her at almost the same time. She has an instant to feel a flash of relief when Katniss appears, but it turns to fear when she feels a sudden pain in her stomach. She can hear Katniss screaming her name, and she looks down to see the District 1 boy's spear embedded in her. She looks up to see the boy being killed by an arrow through his throat. Then the edges of her vision begin to blur, and her strength leaves her. Katniss catches her as she falls.

She is suddenly worried that she distracted Katniss before she could do what she went to do, so she asks. "Did you blow up their food?"

"Every last bit" Her hand clutches mine, and the pressure comforts me.

"You have to win" And she has to, for her sister, for Gale, who she describes with so much affection.

"I'm going to. Going to win for both of us now." We hear a cannon sound, but I'm not dead yet. I don't have the strength to wonder about it. Katniss's face is beginning to fade, and I tighten my grip.

"Don't go."

She moves closer, and pulls my head onto her lap, like she is rocking me to sleep.

"Sing." And the world is turning grey, the pretty colours leaving. I am going to die, I know. And I want to die listening to music. Katniss's breath hitches, but she starts to sing.

_"Deep in the meadow, under the willow  
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow  
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes  
And when again they open, the sun will rise._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
_Here the daisies guard you from every harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you._

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
_a cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_  
_Forget your woes and let your troubles lay_  
_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away._

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
_here the daisies guard you from every harm_  
_Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true_  
_Here is the place where I love you."_

I force myself to stay awake until the end. I can no longer see anything, even though I know my eyes are open, so I close them. My mind begins to float, my breathing is shallower, and I can no longer feel the pain. Gradually, Katniss's voice begins to fade, and I begin to slip into the blackness. I hope she wins. I hope she is happy. I hope...

* * *

**So, yeah. Hope you found it to your satisfaction, do tell me if you did, and tell me if you didn't.**


End file.
